Divided
by TayCass27
Summary: Laina's life in Vault 101 is no piece of cake, with her mother's sloozy ways and constantly being bullied by the Tunnel Snakes. When Laina sticks up for herself, she finds a friend in the most unlikely of places. Please R/R!


_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fallout: 3 or similar Fallout games, rights go to their respective owners yadda yadda._

Note that Laina isn't the Lone Wanderer, she is an OC.

* * *

Growing up in a Vault, to put it lightly, fucking sucked. The Vault was run by an old batshit crazy Overseer who wanted to keep us cooped up like chickens in a pen for the rest of our lives. The kids were no fun, they were about as interesting as watching paint dry. Not to mention my mother was a floozy who slept with whatever she could seduce. So that totals up to a lunatic leader, no friends, a slut for a mother, and the possibility that my dad could be any man in the Vault. Yep. My childhood was a riot, let me tell ya.

* * *

I gathered a notebook and a pencil from my desk, and held them at my side. I walked out of my small room, into the living room, where I saw my mother passed out on the couch. I stood still for a moment, observing her face. We looked nothing alike, minus our hair color. Her features were soft, seductive. I had sharp facial features, including the pointy nose that I hated so much. I exhaled, and opened the door and walked out. I couldn't be worrying about my mother today, no. Today was the day we took the G.O.A.T. to determine our future job. I quickly stepped up a flight of stairs, and turned the corner to go into the classroom, when I ran into someone. Being the klutz I am, I fell - hard - on my ass. I felt color rush to my cheeks as I started to stand up. I slowly picked up my notebook and pencil, and looked up to see who I ran into.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Is that...Oh it is! It's Pinocchio!" He said in that voice of his. I sneered at him, and tried to walk past, but his two friends, Wally Mack and Paul Hannon, stood behind him. "Looks like mommy didn't need your help this morning?" He laughed, pushing me back. I felt my face burn, and I looked at the ground.

"Aw, is someone embarrassed that their mommy is a floozy? Maybe embarrassed because her daddy-waddy could be any ol' man in the Vault? Maybe ever the Overseer!" Butch DeLoria said, bending down to look me in the eyes.

"Like your mother is much better," I snapped, looking into his blue eyes. His smile vanished, and his eyes grew cold.

"Don't talk about my mother that way, Pinocchio," He said coolly, straightening himself. He looked back at his two minions, and laughed. I was so angry, I gritted my teeth until my jaw hurt. I dropped my notebook, and wound my arm up. He looked over just in time for my fist to connect with his jaw. He stumbled back, holding his jaw with both of his hands. I shook my hand, which was now red and throbbing. Wally and Paul started at me. His eyes met mine, and he cracked a smile.

"Hold it, boys," He said, holding up a hand to stop them. I was taken aback, but didn't protest. I picked my notebook up, and started to walk past when he gripped my arm.

"Killer punch," His hot breath snaked into my ear, and chills ran down my spine. I ripped my arm from his grasp and attempted to walked into the classroom coolly. My face was so obviously red, from a combination of being angry, embarrassed, and flattered. I quickly scanned the room for a spare seat, and spotted one right up front. Good, good. This way I wouldn't have to wear those ganky glasses of mine.

* * *

"And that's all she wrote," Mr. Brotch said, walking towards his desk. "You have the rest of the day off, to celebrate or pray, as the situation warrants." He slid into his office chair and was handed multiple tests at once. I stood up slowly and grabbed my notebook and pencil, along with the test, and walked over to Mr. Brotch's desk. I moved up the line quickly, and placed the test on the desk and waited.

"Wow. Wow. Says here you're going to be the vault's Marriage Counselor. Almost makes me want to get married, just to be able to avail myself of your services." Mr. Brotch laughed, slapping his knee. I felt the color rush to my cheeks.

"Um...Thanks, Mr. Brotch." I mumbled, turning to leave. I tucked the notebook under my arm and scurried out of the classroom. Butch and his gang snickered as I walked past, causing me to walk faster. I quickly stepped down the stairs, going somewhere, nowhere, anywhere but there. I can not believe I punched him. I can't even...I just. The fact that I didn't stutter or trip or miss when I punched him or turn into a total tomato face when he breathed on my ear...God damnit God damnit God damnit! I shook the thought out of my head, goosebumps lining my arms as they did when he whispered to me. I opened the door to my living room, where my mom was still passed out on the couch.

I walked over to my mom, sighing above her. She gently snored, arms sprawled out around her. Her hair was a flurry, framing her face. I tucked a tuft of her hair behind her ear. She was beautiful. I wish I was beautiful. I retrieved the blanket from the floor and covered her with it. I made sure she was actually asleep, before I snuck into her room. My mom had all sorts of cosmetics that she dolled herself up with, that I never got to play with. I set my notebook down on the vanity, and took a good, long look at myself.

My lips were thin. My skin was a light beige but my cheeks were rosy as ever. I turned to the side. The tip of my nose came out to a point almost. I looked at my body. I was pretty skinny. Once again, I compared myself to my mother, who had an amazing hourglass figure. I looked at my hair. It was up in a bun today. I pulled it out of the hairtie and shook my head.

There we go. A decent canvas to work on. I wasn't sure what was what, but I knew that the tube of color went on my lips...What's this? A pencil? Lead doesn't go on your face...Hm. Maybe this was a bad idea...No! I needed to experiment. I needed to -

"Laina, darlin', what's going on in here?" A voice said from the doorway. I froze, dropping the pencil onto the vanity. I slowly turned to my mom, smiling weakly.

"Um, nothing!" I stammered, not even smart enough to come up with an excuse. I felt my cheeks go red from embarrassment.

"Aw, darlin', it's perfectly normal to want to wear makeup," My mom started, shoving me down onto the bed. She scooped up a handful of cosmetics and carried them over. "You got such pretty features," She murmured, more to herself than me. She took a white powder of some sort and put it on my eyelids. "This will make them pretty blue eyes of yours shine," She said, and although my eyes were shut, I could hear the smile in her voice. She pressed something against my lips, which glided smoothly across them.

"You look like a spittin' image of me when I was younger," She commented, continuing to apply make-up of all sorts to my face. " 'Specially with them eyes. You could be breakin' hearts, sugarcube." She stood, walking over to the vanity and grabbing a hairbrush, some hair ties, and a few bobby pins. She returned to me, messing with my hair, which was in tangles. I flinched as she brushed out the knots, but eventually her skilled hands started twisting and pulling and shaping my hair into something, God knows what. She put a hair tie in, and secured the 'do with bobby pins. She walked around to the front of me, and placed a few more pins strategically. She backed away from me, smiling. I felt...weird. My mom lead me over to the mirror and looked so proud, her eyes twinkling under the fluorescent lighting.

The image in the mirror wasn't, no, couldn't be me! I gasped, turning and twisting my face. My lips were stained a pretty cherry color, my eyelid shimmery with the powder and dark with charcoal. I turned to look at what she did with my hair. It was twisted into something weird, that extended down my back. I looked over at my mom, who looked like she was about to cry.

"I...I have this dress, it was a very special dress for a very special occasion and I've been waiting for the opportunity to pass it down to you," She explained, walking over to her wardrobe. I widened my eyes as she pulled out a frilly, short skirted pink dress. She gently laid it in my arms, smiling. "Go on now, try it on. I want to see what you look like," She shooed me away, wiping a tear from her cheek. I walked from her room to my room, and stripped out of my vault suit. I shimmied into the frilly pink garment and adjusted the bust before doing a twirl. I let out a small laugh, and continued twirling around my room. I was laughing like I hadn't in years, the skirt flying up around me. I sighed, and stopped twirling, my head spinning. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I barely recognized myself. I ran a hand down my dress, feeling the grooves of the fabric. I wonder why this dress was so special...

I dismissed the thought, and started twirling again. I spun and spun and spun, and didn't see the office chair jutting out. I twisted my ankle around the leg of the chair, and fell against the desk, my head hitting it with a loud thud. My body slumped and fell backwards, twisting my leg. I let out a low moan as I hit the floor with my head again. I heard my mom's frantic voice as she hollered for help, but I was oblivious to the crowd forming outside my room. My vision gave way, and the last thing I heard was a snicker from the doorway.

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_**Author's Notes: **Chapter One is out and I'm already working on Chapter Two! _


End file.
